Folding egg crate



Sept. 25, 1923.

c. ANSPACH FOLDING EGG CRATE Filed June 12. 1922 z sheets-sheem Sept. 25, 1923.

c. ANSPACH FOLDI NG EGG CRATE Filed June 12, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept 25, 1923.

CHARLES ansracn, or BRGWNLEE,NE13RASKA.

FOILDIING EGG CRATE.

Application filed June 12, 1922. Serial No. 567,658.

To all to hom it may concern 7 Be it known that I, CHAnLns ANsPAoH, a 'itizen of the United States, residing at Brownlee, in the county of Cherry and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding Egg Crates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. v This invention relates to foldin crates, and has for its object to provide a crate capable of being folded into acompact form without interfering with the substantial qualities of the bottom and sides.v 'It is another obrect of the invention to provide a crate of this character. wherein the sides are movably connected to the bottom by means carried by the bottom, said means permitting movement of the sides vertically with respect to the bottom and alsol-atcrally with respect to the bottom,

It is a further object of thelinventi n to provide a crate of this character including sides which are, connected to the bottom for substantially universalmovement, the crate being providedmith ends adapted to extend between and substantially brace the sides in their extended positionsi It is a stillfurther object of the invention to provide 'a crate of this character including mo /ably connected sides and ends, the sides being connected to; the bottom ofthe crate by means of a brace projecting fromi the bottom,.saidbracchaving slots for the reception of a pin carried by portions of the s1des, said slotshaving recesses adapted to receive the pins to prevent movement of the sides under certain conditions.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which i V Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a folding crate constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 7

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the struc ture' in its extended position;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the structure in its folded position;

Figure 4c is a section taken on the line 4- 1: of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of one corner of the plate showing the socket for the reception of the fastener 29; and

or material forming the bot v Vnected. Each of the beams 6, 7 and 8 has its Fi ure 6 is a fra mentar endelevation b b y showing the hook fo r fastening thecover to the plate, o 7

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a bottom including end beams 6 and 7 'and a center beam 8, said beams extending'laten' ally of thebo ttonn; and to which the boards, 7

tom, are conend portions slotted for the reception'of a supporting member 9, each supporting mem ber consisting of a-right angular piece of metal including arms 10 and l1, the arm '10 being adapted to extend into the slots of the beams, while the arm 11 is intended-to project above the beams substantially at right anglesthereto and adjacent the ex tremities of the beams. The arm .11 isprovidedlwith an elongated slot 12, one portion of each end portion of: said slot being enlarged as at 13Vto substantially provide bayonet slots through the cooperation of the 7 slot 12. V I 1} V 7 In connectionwith the bottom, side mem-" bers or walls'l i and'15 are provided, each of said walls comprising end beams l6 and 17 and an intermediate beam 18,1the-lower ends of eachv beam being provided withislotsi 19 adapted to receive the adjacent arm "11 of the supportingfmembers of thebottom; A pivot pin 20 is passed through thex "and closing of the crate." When the pin 20 is disposed in the bayonet slotzportion at thejunction of the arm '11 with the arm 10, movement ofthe sides'in any direction is prevented. Howeven' when it is desired to fold the cratefthe side ismoved inwardly so as to disengage the pin from thebayonet portion of the slot so as to permit movement of the pin upwardly in the slot 12 and like wise movement of the side member or wall,

Secured to the-outer face ofxeach ,of the beams .6 and 7 is a pair'of hinged sections 21 adapted to' receiveapintle 22. Disposed between the side members-14.- and 15 of the crate are end members 23'and 24, each end member being provided with a pair of hinged sections 25 adapted to receive the connection with the catch 31.

jecting from the central portion of the outer face of the bracing member of the end 23 is a keeper 28, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. a

In order to connect the end members in their extended position to the side members, each of the beams 16 and 17 has pivoted toits outer face a fastener 29, said fastener including a finger a finger 30, the finger being adapted to extend into the socket 27 and engage the pin 27. By this means the end members or walls are held between the side members or walls to prevent movement of the pins 20 of the side membersinto the slot 12 and con sequently prevent accidental folding or collapsing of the crate.

In connection with the create, a detachable cover is provided, said cover having depending flanges at its end portions, the

end portion of said cover adjacent the end 23 of the crate being provided with a catch 31, said catch extending over the flange of the cover and having a lip 32 adapted to extend into and engage the keeper 28 of the end 23. The opposite end'of the cover is provided With a hook 28 or like fastening means for securing the cover to the crate in Assuming that the crate is in its extended position and it is desired to fold the same, the hook of the cover is released from the end 24 and the cove-rraised, so as to disengage the lip from the keeper 28. The fasteners 29 are then swung upwardly through the medium of the finger piece 29 so as to release the ends 23 and 2-1 from the sides 14 and 15. The ends are, then per mitted to swing outwardly as far as possible so as to permit the sides to move inwardly out ofthe bayonet portions of the slots 12 to permit the pins 20 to enter the major portion of the slots 12. The side walls may then be moved upwardly to the upper bayonet portions of the slots 12, so as to permit free oscillating movement inthe last mentioned bayonet portion of the slot. The end members are then swung inwardly into engagement with the bottom, the cover applied upon the ends and then the rear and front sides swung inwardly from the top of the supporting members, the length of the arm 11 of the supporting members perpiece and stop 29 and mitt-ing the ends andcover to be compactly disposed beneath the sides.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that this invention prov-ides a novel form of crate having novel means of connecting the sides to the ends, said means not only bracing the sides with respect to the bottom, but serving as pivot means to permit the crate to be readily collapsed and extended. Another important feature is that in addition to the ends being foldable, they also serve to brace the sides when the latter are in their extended positions.

What is claimed is 1. A folding crate comprising a bottom including transversely extending end beam members, supporting members projecting upwardly from the ends of each of the beams, each of said supporting members having a longitudinally extending slot, a portion of each of the end portions of said slotsbeing enlarged to provide. a bayonet slot, side members having beams extending transversely of the members, each of said beams being slotted for-the reception of the supporting members, and pins extending through the slotted ends of the beams, of the side members,

said pins being arranged to engage the bayonet portions of theslots of the support ing arm, to prevent movement of said side members longitudinally of the slot, end members hinged to the beams of the bottom and arranged for movement between the side members, and means for connectingthe end members to the side members. I 2. A folding crate comprising, a bottom,

supporting members projecting upwardly from the ends thereof, each of saidsupport ing members having a longitudinally ex tending slot, a portion portions of said slots being enlarged to pro vide a bayonet slot, side members extending of each of the end end portions of said side I transversely of the supporting members,

said side members being slotted for reception of the supporting members, and pins extending through the slotted portions of the side members and arranged to engage the bayonet portions of the slots of the sup porting arms to prevent movement of said side members longitudinally of the slots, end members hinged to the bottom and arranged for movement between the sidemembers, and means for connecting the end members to the side. members.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. I

CHARLE S ANSPACH. 

